Motor vehicle



Mziy s, 1923. 1,45 4%? E. H. BELDEN MOTOR VEHICLEv 4 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Jan. 6 1919 :I: Q5 J: U.

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n O 1 r O l O H h N IN VEN TOR.

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ATTORNEY May 8, 1923.

E. H. BELDEN MOTOR VEHICLE Filed Jan. 6, 1919 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V ENTOR. Edam/00% Be/aew ATTORNEY May 8, 19123 E.H.BELDEN MOTOR VEHICLEFiled Jan. 6, 1919 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 JNVENTOR May 8, 1923.

E. H. BELDEN MOTOR VEHI CLE Filed Jan- 1919 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.fan/0rd H 56/06/7 uNM NN rilair A TTORNEY Patented May 8, i923.

EDWARD HALE-BELDEN, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TOTHE WILLYS-OVERLAIID COMPANY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

Original application filed September 12, 1917, Serial No. 190,966.Divided and this application filed January 6, 1919. Serial No. 269,805.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD H. BELDEN, residing at Toledo, county ofLucas, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and-usefulImprovements in Motor Vehicles,

of which I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to improvements in motor vehicles andparticularly to the construction of the chassis of the motor vehicle.

This application is a division of my copending application, SerialNumber 190,966 filed September 12, 1917.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a construction in whichthe fuel tank and instrument board are directly mounted on the frame soas to be enclosed within the cowl when the body is fastened in ositionon the frame.

d further object of my invention is to provide improved means forsupportin the fuel tank adjacent the instrument boar together with animproved type of dash and instrument board and support therefor.

Further objects of this invention relate to economies of manufacture anddetails of construction as will hereinafter appear from the detaileddescription to follow. I accomplish the objects of my invention in oneinstance by the devices and means described in the followingspecification, but it is evident that the same may be varied widelywithout departing from the scope of the invention as pointed out in theappended claims. A structure constituting one embodiment of myinvention, which may be the preferred, is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, forming. a part hereof, in which:

Fi ire I is a top lan View of a motor vehicIie chassis embo ying myinvention.

Figure II is a fragmentary view, in slde elevation, of a motor vehiclechassis embodyin my invention, the body, cowl, hood, gear 5 ift, clutchand brake levers being shown in dotted lines.

Figure III is a fragmentary view, taken substantiall on the hue III-IIIof Figure II, an showing the dash board, fuel tank and instrument boardin front elevatron, the cowl and body being shown in dotted lines.

Figure IV is a detail, perspective view of the dash board and the armsconnected thereto and extending rearwardly therefrom for supporting thefuel tank.

Flgure V is a detail perspective view showing one of the stan ards towhich the dash board is secured.

Figure VI is an enlarged, detail view, similar to the left hand part ofFigure II, one of the tank supporting arms being removed and the tankbeing shown by dotted lines in the position to which it is moved when itbecomes necessary to remove the tank from its supporting frame.

Figure VII is a fragmentary, detail, sectional view, taken substantiallyon the line VII-VII of Figure VI.

Fi ure VIII is a fragmentary, detail, sectiona view, taken substantiallyon the line VIIIVIII of Figure II.

Considering the numbered parts of the drawing, I have shown the chassisof a motor vehicle comprisino a frame made up of longitudinallyextending bars 10 which are connected at their ends by the plates 11,said frame being supporte at the front end from the front axle 14 by thesprin 12 and, at the rear end, from the rear ax e 15 by the springs 13.The front steering wheels 16 are carried by the front axle in the usualmanner and the steering arms 17 are connected by the rod 18, andoperated through the rod 19 connected with the steering column 20,-having the steering wheel 21. An engine 22 is mounted on the forward artof the frame and is connected with t e rear axle throu h the clutch andtransmission housed in t e casing 23 and the propeller shaft housedwithin the tube 24 in the usual manner. The rear driving wheels 25 aremounted on the rear axle 15 in the usual manner. The radiator 26 issupported on the frame in any suitable manner in front of the engine.

A. standard 27 is secured to each side bar 10 just in the rear of theengine 22 by means of the bolts 28 and said standard extends vvertically upward and is braced by the angle bar 29 connected to theside bar 10 by the bolt 30, the upper end of said angle bar 29 beingsecured to the standard 27 at 31 by spot welding or in any othersuitable manner. The vertical portion 32 of the dash is provided withvertically extending parallel corrugations 33 which stifl'en the sameand the dash has the portion 34 which extends rearwardly and downwardlyfrom the lower edge of said vertical portion. A flange 35 extendsinwardly at right angles to the lower edge of said inclined portion 34and slots 36 and 37 are formed in said inclined portion to accommodatethe usual foot levers and an opening 38 is formed therein to accommodatethe steering column 20. Arms 39 are secured adjacent the vertical edgesof said dash board 32 by means of the bolts 40 extending through saiddash board and the flanged edge of the corresponding standard 27, andsaid arms extend upwardly and rearwardly from said dash board, asclearly appears in Figures II and TV. One of said arms is provided witha boss 41, having an opening, and the other arm is provided with a pairof bosses 42 having openings for the trunnions on the fuel tank 43 whichis carried by and disposed between said arms 39. Plates 44 are securedto the end walls of the tank 43 by spot welds 45 and said plates areprovided with trunnions 46 adapted to fit in the bosses 41 and 42respectively. The fuel tank is supported in this manner between the arms39 extending upwardly and rearwardly from the dash board. The instrumentboard 47 is fastened to the rear ends of said arms 39 by means of thebolts 48 and a notch 49 is provided in said instrument board toaccommodate the filling nozzle 50 of the tank 43, said nozzle having acap 51. A groove 52' is formed in the lower side of the tank 43,extending transversely thereof, and so positioned as to accommodate thesteering column 20, as clearly appears fromFigures II and VIII.' Ihenipple 53 is connected to the lower part of the tank 43 and connectedwith the fuel line 54 by means of the shut-off cook 55. The floor board57 is carried by the frame in the usual manner and the toe board 58 issupported on the angle bars 29 so that its upper edge abuts thedown-turned flange 35 of the dash board, the inclined portion 34 of thedash board being secured to said angle bars 29 by means of the bolts 56.The hood 59, the cowl 6O ind the body 61, are indicated by dotted mes.

From the description of the parts given above, the essential features ofthis construction should be very readily understood. The dash board 32,the fuel tank 43 and the instrument board 47 are ail supported directlyfrom the frame of the motor vehicle, the fuel tank being supportedbetween the arms 39 which are attached to the standards 27 and theinstrument board 47 being secured to the rear ends of said arms. In thisway the tank may be carried in the cowl, as it is enclosed within thecowl when the body is fastened in place, and, the tank and instrumentboard may nevertheless be mounted in place on the chassis before thebody is attached. This is of considerable importance in View of the factthat motor vehicles are usually tested before the body is attached andall of the parts that are necessary to the operation of the power plantare mounted in the position which they are to occupy in the finished carbefore the body is attached. Heretofore, when the fuel tankis carried inthe cowl, it has been necessary to mount a temporary tank on the framewhen the car was being tested, as the permanent fuel'tank was carried bythe body and was mounted in place when the body was attached to theframe.

This makes a very staunch and sturdy construction and one which rendersit a comparatively simple matter to remove the tank in case its repairis necessary. To do this the steering column isremoved and theconnection between the tank and the fuel line is broken, the bolts 40which secure one of the arms 39 to the standard 27 are loosened and thearm 39 is removed to one side so that the trunnion 46 is released fromits bearing 41. The tank can then be moved sidewise to release theopposite trunnions 46 from their bearings 42 and the fuel tank can bedropped down, as shown in dotted lines in Figure VI until its upper edgeclears the lower edge of the instrument board. when the tank can bemoved rearwardly and entirely removed.

I am aware that the particular embodimentof my invention, which I havehere shown and described, is susceptible of considerable variationwithout departing from the spirit thereof, and, therefore, I desire toclaim my invention broadly, as well as specifically, as indicated by theappended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a vehicle frame comprising apair of longitudinally extending side bars, a dash board and aninstrument board carried by said frame, a body carried by said frame anda fuel tank within said body andbetween said dash board and saidinstrument board and supported by said frame independently of said body.

2. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a vehicle frame, a pair ofstandards carried by said frame, a dash board secured to said standards,an instrument board positioned rearwardly of said standards andsupported therefrom, and a fuel tank carried by said standards andlocated between the dash board and instrument board.

3. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a vehicle frame, a pair ofstandards carried by said frame, a dash board secured to said standards,a pair of arms secured to said standards and projecting from said dashboard, and a fuel tank mounted between said arms.

4. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a vehicle frame, a pair ofstandards carried by said frame, a dash board carried by said standards,a pair of arms extending rearwardly from said dash board, an instrumentboard secured to the rear ends of said arms, and a fuel tank mountedbetween and carried by said arms between said instrument board and saiddash board.

5. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a vehicle frame, a pair ofstandards carried by said frame, a dash board secured to said standards,a steering column extending forwardly through said dash board, aninstrument board carried by the ends of said arms, and a fuel tankcarried by said arms between said instrument board and said dash boardand above said steering column.

6. In a motor vehicle, the combinationpf a vehicle frame, a pair ofstandards carried by said frame, a dash board secured to said standards,a steering column extending through said dash board, a pair of armsextending rearwardly from said dash board, an instrument board securedto the ends of said arms. and a fuel tank carried by said arms betweensaid dash board and said instrnment board, said fuel tank being providedwith a transversely extending recess accommodating said steering columnwhen said fuel tank is in position.

7. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a vehicle frame, a pair ofstandards carried thereby, a dash board secured to said standards, apair of arms extending rearwardly from said dash board, an instrumentboard secured to the rear ends of said arms, each of said arms beingprovided with open ings. and a fuel tank mounted between said arms andhaving the ends thereof provided with trunnions disposed in saidopenings.

8. In a motor vehicle. the combination of a vehicle frame. comprising apair of lon gitudinally extending side bars, a standard secured to eachof said side bars, a dash board comprising a vertical portion secured tothe upper ends of said standards and a downwardly and rearwardlyextending portion provided with slots to accommodate the usual footlevers and an opening through which the steering column passes. a pairof arms secured to said standard adjacent the edges of the verticalportion of said dash board and extending upwardly and rear wardly, aninstrument board secured to the rear ends of said arms, and a fueltankcarried by said arms and mounted between said instrument board andsaiddash board.

t). .In a motor vehicle, the combination of a vehicle frame, a bodycomprising a cowl, a fuel tank bencathsai d cowl and means forsupporting said fuel tank directly from said frame and independently ofsaid body.

10. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a frame, a dash board, aninstrument board, a fuel tank therebetween, means for supporting saiddash board, instrument board and fuel tank directly from said frame anda body separate from but engaging said dash board and instrument boardand enclosing said fuel tank.

11. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a vehicle frame, a pair ofstandards carried by the frame independently of the vehicle body, and afuel tank and instrument board supported by said standards.

12. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a vehicle frame, a pair ofstandards carried by said frame, a pair of arms secured to the standardsand projecting rearwardly therefrom, and a 'fuel tank supported by thestandards and having a portion thereof positioned between the rearwardlyextending arms.

13. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a vehicle frame, a flooringfor the vehicle including a toe-board, a pair of stand ards carried bythe frame and each provided with an abutment for supporting a portion ofthe to'e-board.

14. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a frame, a pair of standardsmounted thereon, a brace for each of said standards extending diagonallydownward therefrom to said frame, a dash board supported by saidstandards and having a portion overlying said braces and a toe boardsupported by said braces.

15. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a frame, a pair of standardscarried by the frame, a pair of arms secured to said standards andextending rearwardly therefrom, and an instrument board carried by saidarms.

16.- In a motor vehicle, the combination of a frame comprising sideframe members. a standard carried by each of said side frame members. anarm carried by each standard and extending rearwardly and upwardlytherefrom, and an instrument board supported by the said arms adjacentthe rear- -ward ends thereof.

17. In a motor vehicle,'the combination of a vehicle frame, a pair ofstandards carried by the frame independently of the vehicle body. armssecured to the standards and extending rearwardly therefrom, aninstrument board carried by the arms, and a fuel tank located rearwardlyof said standards and between said arms.

18. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a frame, a dash board, armsextending rearwardly from and supported by the dashboard, an instrumentboard, and a fuel tank 5 carried by the rearwardly extending arms andpositioned between the dash-board and instrument board.

19. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a frame, a vehicle bodyincluding a cowl,

a fuel tank and instrument board firmly secured together and supportedfrom said frame independently of the vehicle body and in position to beenclosed within the cowl of the vehicle body when said body is securedon the frame.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

' EDWARD HALE BELDEN.

